Spotlight on Social Media

In today’s technology driven world, staying in tune with social media is imperative for any aspiring artist. For dancers, promoting your craft through Instagram, Twitter or the like gives you the ability to reach a vast audience, opening up a greater number of career paths. As a dancer beginning my senior year of college, I am starting to mold my social media into an account that will promote my art and expand my reach. Currently, I see Instagram as the best form of social media for artists, dancers especially, so I will gear this post towards that particular outlet. Here are five guidelines I believe are vital when creating your own virtual existence in the hopes it will help you leap into the “real world”.

1) Find your niche

One of the most important points to consider when creating your Instagram account is finding an overall theme or niche that you fit into. For example, if you are a ballerina, you may consider posting elegant pictures and videos showcasing your feet, lines or pirouettes in lighter, subdued tones. On the other hand, if you are on the commercial side, you may choose vibrant, “in-your-face” posts that flaunt your dynamic personality. Find that niche that you feel you can best appeal to and model your account after another influencer in the same group. Most importantly, you need to find what makes you, you and do your best to showcase that through your account.

2) Treat your account like your portfolio

Once you have pinpointed your niche, begin to build your account using only high-quality, stylized posts. For instance, if a video of you perfecting your fouettés was shaky, retake it. Try to find photographers in your area who you can either collaborate with or pay to take high-quality photos of your most impressive moves. If you are having trouble finding a photographer, you can set up your camera on video mode on a chair in your studio, room or an outdoor space and improv. You can grab screenshots from that video which, I have found, turn out more interesting and genuine than any posed arabesque or tilt. As you begin to post these videos and pictures, make sure you are using the same filter for each one. This will create a cohesive look that will grab the attention of more people and make you look more professional.

3) Post frequently

Now that you have a theme nailed down and a collection of professional photos and videos, post frequently! You want to make sure your account looks as established as possible, having an abundant amount of posts for followers to check out is a great way to do this. Try to create new content every week because, the more you post, the more attention you will get and, the more attention you get, the more opportunities open up for you.

4) Collaborate with likeminded influencers

When you feel you have reached a point in your social media game where you are ready to take your account to the next level, start searching for other influencers to collaborate with. When my account reached about 5,000 followers, photographers started reaching out to me and I no longer had to pay photographers or create content on my own. Not only is it a huge plus to partake in free photo-shoots but collaborating through social media enables you to meet tons of people in your industry and, the more connections, the better!

5) Promote

As your account grows and more people take notice of you, begin to promote other influencers, brands or companies that align with your niche. Not only do you get the chance to work with influential people but, once you reach a certain amount of followers, you can get paid to promote! As soon as my account reached about 10k, brands would reach out to me, send me free items and pay me to share them with my followers. As a double major with no time for a steady job, Instagram has been able to give me that extra bit of cash I need.

Thanks to social media, we have the ability to share what we love so much with the world. If you put a little bit of extra time and effort into your account, you will build important connections and receive opportunities that can truly jumpstart your career as a dancer. With that, get posting!

Raised in Orange County, California, Gabrielle Mix began her training at the age of three at the Academy of Dance and, later, Lovett Dance Center, a competition studio rooted in ballet. She received top awards at regional and national competitions including the prestigious Youth American Grand Prix throughout middle and high school. Gabby trained in various styles and diverse movement vocabulary at multiple summer intensive programs including Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theater, and Ballet West, on scholarship. Gabby currently attends the University of Arizona and is earning two degrees, a B.F.A. in Dance and a B.A. in Journalism. She is also minoring in fashion and is a member of the UA Honors College. As a dancer, Gabrielle takes curiosity in the way movement can embody emotional connection and intensity and, as a journalist, she is passionate about sharing her love of the arts and dance in particular through written expression.